Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim, who will take over at Manchester United next week, hailed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as the best in the world on Monday.
The Portuguese title holders face City in the Champions League on Tuesday in Amorim’s penultimate match in charge of Sporting. “(City have) the best team in the world and the best coach in the world,” Amorim told ‘Sport TV’ on Monday.
Manchester City beat Sporting 5-0 on aggregate in the last 16 of the competition in 2022 and Amorim said despite improving as a coach since then, there is still a gap between him and Guardiola. “I feel like I’m a better coach (now), unfortunately what I feel is that Pep Guardiola has also become an even better coach, so the gap remains,” Amorim told a news conference.
“Pep Guardiola was an inspiration to many of us coaches, as well as others.” City have won the Premier League four seasons running and record 20-time English champions Manchester United last won it in 2013, when managerial great Alex Ferguson was at the helm.
Guardiola lifted the Champions League with City in 2023 and has led United’s rivals to six league triumphs. Manchester United paid Sporting 11 million euros ($12 million) to secure “one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football,” they said after announcing Amorim’s future arrival.
The Red Devils, currently 13th in the Premier League table, sacked Erik ten Hag a week ago before appointing the 39-year-old to try and bring the club back to their glory days.
